1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a rail car and, more specifically, to a rail car supplementary brake and energy reclamation and power generating system.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a rail car, for example, a train or trolley car, the braking action is achieved by stopping the rotary motion of the wheels to change the minor dynamic friction between the wheels and the rail to a greater static friction. The static friction consumes much kinetic energy of the rail car, causing the rail car to stop slowly. This friction force actuated braking action is commonly used in most transportation vehicles on the land. However, because a rail car, for example, a train or trolley car, is much heavier than an automobile or any of a variety of small transportation vehicles, the inertia force of a rail car is relatively greater. Therefore, it is difficult to stop a rail car within a short distance and time by means of friction. Further, when stopping a rail car, it is necessary to consume the kinetic energy of the rail car by converting it into heat energy or sound energy. Therefore, braking a rail car consumes much energy.
The main object of the present invention is to provide a rail car supplementary brake and energy reclamation and power generating system to enhance the braking action of the rail car and to reclaim the energy consumed during each braking action of the rail car for generating electricity.
To achieve this object of the present invention, the rail car supplementary brake and energy reclamation and power generating system comprises a motion unit, the motion unit comprising a track longitudinally arranged in the middle of a rail for rail car, a pulley block mounted on and movable along the track, and coupling means provided for a rail car moving on the rail for rail car and controlled to couple the pulley block to the rail car; an energy accumulator unit, the energy accumulator unit comprising a spiral power spring mechanism, and a pull rope connected between the spiral power spring mechanism and the pulley block, the pull rope driving the spiral spring mechanism to wind up and to reserve elastic energy when the pulley block is pulled by the rail car along the track away from the spiral power spring mechanism, the spiral spring mechanism being released to discharge elastic energy when the pulley block receives no pull force; and a power generator unit, the power generator unit comprising a power generator, and a transmission mechanism coupling the pull rope and the spiral power spring mechanism to the power generator for driving the power generator to generate electricity both when the spiral power spring mechanism is reserving elastic energy and when it is releasing elastic energy.